Hong Kong vigilante given suspended sentence for damaging Falun Gong property, claiming national security law allows him to do it
- Hu Aimin sentenced to two weeks in jail, suspended for 2½ years, for vandalising posters and advertising material
- ‘While your patriotism deserves respect and credit, it cannot be an excuse for doing whatever you want,’ magistrate tells accused
A Hong Kong court on Thursday imposed a suspended jail sentence on a man for vandalising Falun Gong posters and advertising material, after rejecting his assertion his acts of vigilantism were allowed under the national security law.
West Kowloon Court sentenced Hu Aimin to two weeks imprisonment, suspended for 2½ years, on five counts of criminal damage over the disturbance he caused at four Falun Gong street booths between December 13 and 20, 2020.
The 47-year-old jobless man stood trial in August when he contended he felt obliged to “safeguard national security” by protecting people from being “poisoned” and “incited” by the “secessionist” messages of the spiritual movement.
But Magistrate Li Chi-ho said in his verdict last month Hu had taken the law into his own hands and had used the Beijing-decreed legislation as an excuse.
The trial heard Hu had damaged 16 banners, five flags, 19 foam placards and a computer rack worth a total of HK$15,000 (US$1,921) over an eight-day span.